A new Santa's Grotto at Canterbury Chartham Garden Centre runs from 21 November to 24 December. Each child costs £16.99 and booking is required.

A new Santa’s Grotto Experience opens at Canterbury Chartham Garden Centre on Saturday 21 November and runs until Thursday 24 December, at £16.99 per child. Each visit lasts 15 minutes, takes children through three rooms and has to be booked in advance.

The garden centre is on the A28 Ashford Road, at Stour Business Park just outside Canterbury. Its owner, the garden centre group Blue Diamond, is bringing this grotto to the Canterbury centre for the first time.

“We’re thrilled to share this new interactive Santa’s Grotto with visitors to Canterbury Chartham Garden Centre for the first time,” said Rebecca Gurnett, Blue Diamond’s Group Events Manager.

“From start to finish, the event is brimming with joy, music and fun. It’s the perfect way for the whole family to get into the spirit of Christmas and make memories together.”

The three rooms

Blue Diamond describes the visit as a journey through three winter wonderland rooms:

  • The North Pole stables: Reindeer Ronnie helps children make reindeer food to sprinkle on Christmas Eve, and the elves join in a festive sing-along.
  • Santa’s Living Room: children share their Christmas wish lists with Santa in a one-to-one meeting, with a chance for a keepsake photograph.
  • The Toy Workshop: each child chooses a present to take home from the shelves, which the company says hold gifts for all ages.
Two elves in red and green costumes holding wrapped presents and a teddy bear in front of a Christmas tree and a Candy Cane sign
Two of Santa's elves with wrapped presents and a teddy bear. Photo: supplied by Blue Diamond

What it costs and how to book

These prices are from Blue Diamond’s ticket page for the Canterbury grotto, checked on 10 November:

  • Each child: £16.99, with the toy included; every child in the group needs a ticket
  • Each adult: free, listed as its own ticket option
  • Photo book wallet, 8x6: £7.99
  • Boxed glitter frame photo: £13.99

The photographs are an optional extra, sold at the end of the visit, so the £16.99 does not cover them.

Booking is required, through that ticket page or Blue Diamond’s What’s On page.

Finding the garden centre

Canterbury Chartham Garden Centre is at Stour Business Park, Ashford Road, near Canterbury, CT4 7HF, with free parking. The phone number is 01227 501056.

The centre opens from 9am to 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4.30pm on Sunday. It closes at 4pm on Christmas Eve, the grotto’s last day. Its Origins Pâtisserie and Restaurant opens from 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and from 10am to 4pm on Sunday, and closes at 3pm on Christmas Eve.

Other places to meet Santa this year are in our guide to Santa’s grottos near Canterbury.

Sponsored feature for Blue Diamond (Canterbury Chartham Garden Centre)